Social Health
Social health is the ability of the social situation to promote social relations based on it in a way that meets the needs of individuals and the needs of large groups. To find out what this means, consider the meaning of goodness. There are many perspectives on health: biological, psychological and social.
We know the concept of physical health and mental health, but we often forget that our society is also a living thing, which needs medical examination, diagnosis and treatment.
Importance of Social Health
Every day, we are reminded of the importance of exercise for health. In every modern city there are gyms, personal trainers, outdoor gyms, bike paths and many other ways for people to stay healthy. In recent years, the importance of good mental health practices, such as mindfulness and behavioral activation, has been rightly emphasized.
However, the third pillar of health, Social health, is neglected. Social health can be understood as the ability to interact with others and interact in a healthy and effective way. It is the main factor that determines happiness and joy. The impact of Covid-19 will take time to understand, but social health has been very strong in the last 18 months.
The routines and behaviors of people before March 2020 (leaving the house, going to the office, meeting after work, visiting friends) have become the exception rather than the norm. Many of the “weak ties” (friends you rarely see) that we rely on for stories, gossip, and jokes are lost as we reduce the size of our social network to close friends and family.
Doing good social work can be as simple as meeting up with a friend you haven’t seen in a while for a walk or coffee. This might include calling a friend home that you haven’t spoken to in a while. He might say yes to the gym class your friend told you to join. He might go out for a drink with colleagues after work.
Public health is linked to other pillars of health, physical and mental. By playing on a team or meeting a friend for a walk or a game of tennis, you’re keeping yourself physically, mentally and emotionally healthy. Humans are social creatures and practicing good social health has a very beneficial effect on your mood and mental health.
Ways to improve your overall health
Save “old” friends and make “new” friends:
Communicating with loved ones improves your well-being. Over time, social media plays an important role in making “new” friends online. But quality is more important than quantity. Positive, high-quality personal relationships promote emotional health. Go out with your friends, have fun, eat together, talk about life and do something fun. You obviously hang out with your friends, so live your life to the fullest with your friends. This is one of the best ways to improve your overall health.
Learn something new and surprise yourself:
It is important to connect with new things in life and make new friends. Participate in debates, discuss social issues, cook for yourself, distance yourself from negative people, spend time with your family or go to a new place. It’s a great way to improve your overall health.
Community support and integration systems:
Our family and loved ones are our emotional support system. Our family is our support system during our difficult times, our emotional health depends on it. Connect and socialize with people, exchange new ideas, learn new things and improve your mental health. This is one of the best ways to improve your overall health.
Factors of Social Environment
A Social Environment is closely related to the culture and relationships that surround people. These factors include the type of neighborhood a person lives in, how much money a person earns, the level of education they have, or the opportunities a person has to acquire property. A person’s work and income situation is an environmental factor that can destroy a person.
A low-income worker may not be able to afford certain parts of a person’s health. This can include clean houses and nutritious meals which are often more expensive.
Unfortunately, many people have defined themselves by the type of job they have or how much money they have earned. For example, some may believe that the higher your salary, the higher it needs to be.
Also, high earners tend to only surround themselves with people with similar incomes. It is the same with a person who has little money. We often want to compare ourselves to others who are on the same level as us. Therefore, our diversification is limited. This creates a culture that can close our hearts and limit our relationships with certain types of people. Our diversity is limited and closed and permeates other aspects of our environment. Ultimately, this can lead to the development of entire communities with low income.
Education
Living in areas with poor social conditions can lead to low literacy. The school system may not be well organized or the classroom environment may not be conducive to learning. The school’s public funding can also be limited, which limits the educational resources the school has to offer. This, ultimately, leads to lack of education. One of the problems of a negative social environment is that those things are connected and interconnected. For example, a poor school system that doesn’t do well in educating students turns out to be unable to pursue well-paying jobs. Students may not acquire good life skills, resulting in low-income jobs.
You will see at the end of this article how these environmental factors affect health.
family friends
How environmental factors can affect health
Family and friends are other factors that influence the environment and health.
The people around us often define the culture we grew up with. Our culture often determines our thinking and, therefore, our future. A poor home can have long-term effects on a child. As mentioned above, all these environmental factors are interrelated. Therefore, the economic status of the family determines how a child is raised, which in turn determines the cultural structure of the family. Parents who do not have money are often stressed, making them less accepting. On top of that, a child raised in a poor family often does not have the necessary resources to support proper learning and development. Research shows that a poor family life can cause behavioral and developmental problems in a child in the future. Long-term studies have shown that poor living conditions for a child can be associated with a lower chance of graduating from high school, and a lower job. Beyond the family exchange, it is a social network for people. This includes the kind of friends a person will surround himself with. We all know how important friends are in our lives, and it can lead to decisions that have positive and negative effects on our health.
Benefits of participating in social activities
Social interaction has been found to be effective as exercise improves your mood; helps you maintain emotional, mental and physical health. Some of the benefits of participating in social programs for seniors include:
Strong immune system. Research shows that older people who feel lonely have higher levels of proteins associated with inflammation and a weakened immune system, while the immune system is weakened in older people who are lonely.
Less risk of disease. Chronic conditions and diseases such as arthritis, osteoporosis, Alzheimer’s disease, and even some cancers are significantly reduced in adults who participate in social activities.
Improved heart health. Research shows that isolated elderly people often have high blood pressure, which increases the risk of heart disease.
Alleviation of depression. Older people who develop and maintain relationships are generally at a lower risk for depression, as social isolation is often one of the factors that – cause depression in the elderly.
Long life. In general, older people who focus on social interaction are healthier and live longer than isolated people. In many studies, social interaction has been shown to be a strong predictor of death.
Access to health care
Access to health care or related health care needs is considered an environmental issue that affects people everywhere. Various factors can prevent a person from accessing health care. This can include expenses, lack of insurance, or someone’s location. In 2018, nearly 28 million non-elderly people in the United States did not have health insurance. The main reason for this is the high cost of health insurance. This environmental factor goes back to a person’s work and financial situation. A person may not work in a job that offers good health insurance or may not be paid enough to pay for the insurance. Physical factors can prevent a person from receiving adequate health care, such as where they live. People living in rural areas may not have the services or resources to provide proper transportation and medical facilities. Without access to health care, people will face health problems and advanced problems.
